ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. firm — decided
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. firm — steady
  5. fine — all right
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. craft — a skill
  8. present — the time now
  9. firm — a company
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. present — there
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. mug — to rob
  14. dip — to sink
  15. chair — a leader
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. present — a gift
  21. mug — a face
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. mug — a cup
  24. fine — high quality

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com